Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-02-10

the judge and jury-particularly II the
theory Of insanity were set up-for us to
show that the act was logical and natural.
or course you have--I speak confidently.
Miss Moffat-certain ideas Of your own why
the late Mr. Byways was SO singularly gen.
erous to you"
"No. I haven't" said Peg decidedly.
"Think again. Had be not expressed to
you-you understand that this is confidential
between US. although protest, my dear young
lady, that SEQ no reason why it should not
be made public-had no not given uttsrance
to sentiments Of nature consistent with
some future matrimonial relationsr Bot
here Miss Pegs large mouth, which had been
slowly relaxing over her irregular teeth,
stopped him.
"If you mean he wanted to marry me-
Nor
u zee. But were there any conditions-of
course you know the law takes no cognizance
of any not expressed in the viii; but still, for
the sake Of mere confederation of the be-
quest-do you know of any conditions on
which he gave you the property"
aYou mean did he want anything in re-
turn
Exactly, my dear young lady"
Pegs face on one side turned a deep ma
gcnta color, on the other lighter cherry.
while her nose was purple and her
forehead an Indian red. To add to the effect
Of this awkward and discomposing dramatic
exhibition Of embarrassment, she began to
wipe her hands on her dress, and sat silent
II understand" said the lawyer hastily.
"No matter-the conditions were fulfilled"
mol" said Peg amazedly. "How could
they be until he was deadr
II was the lawyers turn to color and grow
embarrassed.
aHe did say something, and make some
conditions" continued Peg, with certain
firmness through her awkwardness; shut
that's nobody's business but mine and hisin.
And it's no call O. yours or theirs"
"But, my dear Miss Moffat, if these very
conditions were proofs of his right mind, you
surely would not object to make them known,
if only to enable you top put yourself in a con-
dition to carry them out"
"But, said Peg cunningly, "s'pose you and
the court didn't think 'em satisfactory
S'pose you thought EN- queers Ehi"
With this helpless limitation on the part OF
the defense, the case camo to trial Every
the daily food OF Calaveras county; how for
six weeks the Intellectual and moral and spir.
itual competency OF Mr.. James Byways TO dis
pose of his property was discussed with learned
and formal obscurity in the court, and with
unlettered and independent prejudice by
camp fires and in barrooms. At the end of
that time, when it was logically established
that at least nine-tenths of the population of
Caiayeras were harmless lunatics, and every
body else's reason seemed To totter on its
throne, an exhausted jury succumbed one day
to the presence OF Peg in the court room. 1t
was not a progressing presence at any time,
but the excitement and an injudicious at
tempt to ornament herself brought her de-
fects into a glaring relief that was almost
unreal. Every freckle OF her face stood out
and asserted itself singly; her pale blue eyes,
that gave no indication of her force Of
character, were weak and wandering, or
stared blankly at the judge; her diversified
head, broad at the base, terminating in the
scantiest possible light colored braid in the
middle Of her narrow shoulders, was as hard
and uninteresting as the wooden spheres that
topped the railing against which she sat.
The jury, who for six weeks had had her de-
scribed to them by the plaintiffs as an arch.
willy enchantress, who had sapped the failing
reason of Jim Byways, revolted to a man.
There was something so appallingly gratui-
tous in her plainness, that it was felt that
three millions was scarcely compensation
for 1t. "Ef that money was give to her she
earned 1t sure, boys; it wasn't no softness Of
the old man" said the foreman. When the
jury retired it was felt that she had cleared
her character; when they re-entered the
room with their verdict it was known that
she had been awarded three millions damages
for its defamation